Benefits and Drawbacks of Citizen Journalism Essay Example

While many people appreciate citizen journalism, it is also seen negatively by some. This brand of journalism, which is presented to the public by individuals other than trained journalists, is thought to be unfiltered and unpolished. Some even think it will coexist with professional journalism in the future. Regardless of the arguments made by supporters and opponents, it is important to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of citizen journalism to predict its future development.

It fills in the gaps left by traditional media. 

This kind of journalism is based on the premise that everyone, including those without formal training, may fact-check, supplement, or produce media using the internet and contemporary technological means. This means that anyone with internet connection may create a blog and report on events taking place in the virtual world. This is crucial because it fills in the gaps left by the mainstream media.

It strengthens regional communities. 

Through citizen journalism, people who were previously cut off from important information may now take part in spreading knowledge to improve their well-being. By disseminating important information to far-flung regions of the world, this journalistic invention is reportedly helping to boost local economies. Thanks to it, a lot of regular people may now contribute to conveying tales, including their own, that are typically ignored by conventional media.

The audience has a hard time deciding what to trust. 

Contrary to conventional journalism, where it is safe to trust that the information spread is accurate, this sort of journalism makes it difficult for readers to determine what to believe. This means that in order to create news that is fit for printing, citizen media needs to be fact-checked repeatedly. As you can see, anybody nowadays may record and write anything and then offer it as reality. It is crucial to keep in mind that since we are dealing with humans, we have a tendency to change information to suit our preferences. This makes unofficial news potentially inaccurate.

In certain circumstances, the audience is small. 

Citizen journalists will only reach a small audience through social media, such as their friends. Additionally, even while blogging will expand their audience somewhat, it will never reach as many people as a global radio or television broadcast. In essence, citizen journalism just does not have a large enough audience to effect significant global change.